In Front Of Us
by brookeAp3
Summary: EC What happens when Eric's family trys to get Eric and Calleigh together?


**A/N:** _This was just floating around in my head. _

**In Front Of Us**

Calleigh pulled her car into Eric's driveway. As she got out and made her way around to the back she was thinking how sweet it was that Eric was hosting an engagement party for his sister. Calleigh knew it wasn't really Eric's thing, but it meant a lot to Marisol.

Around back, Calleigh admired the decorations set up. Eric had certainly gone all out for this. It shouldn't have surprised her, but it did none the less.

As she looked around Calleigh spotted Ryan and Natalia and Cooper and Valera. Alexx was over by the refreshments. Eric's parents and sisters were there, his nieces running around the yard playing. A smile found Calleigh's lips when she spotted Horatio and Marisol at one of the many tables scattered on the lawn.

The one person she didn't see however was Eric. Wondering where he could be she noticed him coming out the back door, arms full of more drinks. He caught her eye once they had been set on the table, grins spreading on both their faces.

"Hello." She greeted him when she was standing next to him. "Hey Alexx."

"Hi honey. How are you?"

"Good." Calleigh answered, her eyes still focused on Eric's. She caught the motion of Alexx walking away, something about Ryan and Cooper arguing. Calleigh wasn't really paying attention. "It's a really nice party." She said.

"Thanks."

"It is really sweet of you to do this for your sister and Horatio."

"She's happy. That's all that really matters." Eric answered. "Especially now."

Calleigh nodded in agreement. Suddenly Ryan and Cooper were shouting at each other. Both Eric and Calleigh looked on the scene and started laughing.

"I guess I should go and see what's wrong." Eric stated. He really didn't want to leave Calleigh, but his duty as host was kicking in.

"I'll go see what's going on." Calleigh responded and walked over to where Alexx and Natalia were trying to calm the two men down.

Eric watched Calleigh go over and immediately take control of the situation. A smile burst onto his face, he loved to watch Calleigh at work. Just then Marisol walked over to where he was standing.

"Hey little bro." she said warmly, a certain glow about her.

Reluctantly Eric turned his gaze from Calleigh to his sister. "Hey." He returned.

"This is a beautiful party Eric. It means a lot to me that you did it."

"No problem. I'm glad you like it." A little distracted Eric wasn't really focusing his attention on the conversation.

This did not go unnoticed by Marisol. "So what's going on between you and Calleigh?" she inquired. She had Eric's attention now.

"What are you talking about? There's nothing going on between me and Cal." He replied, just a tad too defensively.

Marisol nodded, not believing a word coming out of his mouth. "There's something there, Eric. Anyone can see that." Her point was only reiterated with the look Eric shot toward Calleigh. "So I'm just imagining that sparkle that just shot into your eyes when you looked at her?"

Eric turned his gaze back to her, she was grinning at him. "I don't know what sparkle you're talking about, Mar."

"Take a look in the mirror at you face when you're around her, Eric." She replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

She laughed and hugged him, going to go discuss the effect the woman had on her brother with her mother and sisters.

Eric watched Marisol walk over to their mother and subconsciously he looked around for Calleigh. Spotting her heading inside Eric caught himself as he started to smile. He decided that going to talk to Horatio was his safest move.

At the same time Calleigh was wondering around Eric's living room. She had been here many times before, but she still loved to look around at everything.

She paused at the mantle. Eric had pictures lined up along it. There was one of his sisters and his parents, his nieces, one of the team. In the middle however was a picture of her and Eric Alexx had taken. They were laughing, she wasn't sure at what, but the photo brought a smile to her face.

"It's a nice picture." Came a voice behind her.

Calleigh spun around and saw Eric's mother standing in the doorway, watching her. "Yes, it is." She agreed, a little uncomfortable at being caught roaming Eric's living room by his mother.

Clorinda smiled politely, but the information gave her a warm feeling in her bones.

"Why aren't you and my son together?" she asked bluntly, no reason to beat around the bush.

Calleigh was a little taken aback. "Why?"

"Yes. Why? It's obvious that you're crazy about each other, you both glow in the others company. Why aren't you with each other?"

Calleigh stumbled for a split second, but quickly composed herself. "Mrs. Delko, Eric and I are just friends.

"Friends don't look at each other they way you two do." She commented.

How was she supposed to respond to that? Did they look differently at each other? Calleigh hoped how she felt with Eric didn't transfer to her face. Normally she was able to keep her emotions hidden, but then again nothing was normal where Eric was concerned.

The amused grin on his mothers face wasn't helping. "Mrs. Delko," she began "your son and I – "

"Are being stupid." She interrupted. "You aren't going to find anyone else that has that effect on you. Both of you should know how precious that is."

Calleigh remained silent until Alexx walked into the room, who clearly realized she had walked in on something.

"Sorry. I just wanted to see where Calleigh was."

"It's ok. Calleigh and I were just talking. I'll see you both later." After giving Calleigh a knowing look she walked out of the room.

"Did I interrupt something?" Alexx asked.

"Not really. She just wanted to ask me something."

"Looked like a little more than just a question."

"No, just something about Eric and me." Calleigh replied uncomfortably.

"Really? What about you two?" she asked. When Calleigh didn't answer right away Alexx smiled. "It wouldn't have anything to do with how you guys feel about each other would it?"

Alexx too! "Is it really that obvious?" Calleigh asked. How did everyone know?

She grinned. "It's pretty clear, honey. You two are different when you're together."

Was everything she was being told true? Calleigh knew how she felt in Eric's presence, despite her thought of efficiency for burying it. Was it possible he felt the same? Could she be that lucky?

Alexx saw the hope flash into Calleigh's eyes. Touching Calleigh's arm she smiled. "Go talk to him, sweetie. You'll get the answer you want."

Calleigh nodded, said goodbye to Alexx and headed back outside into the safety of the crowd.

She wasn't sure how, but she had managed to be the last one to leave. This left her alone with Eric.

"Is everything alright Cal?" he asked. She seemed really distracted. Eric didn't think she had heard a word he had just said. That wasn't like Calleigh at all.

"Yeah, I've just got something on my mind." _Like that we are apparently perfect for each other and the whole world can see it except us!_

"Care to share what is going around in you head?" he asked playfully.

She grinned, why not tell him? Maybe everyone would be right. "I had a nice conversation with your mom this afternoon." She said.

How was he supposed to take that statement? "About what?" he asked.

"You, me, the two of us." She answered. Calleigh smiled at Eric's confused look. "How you and I are meant for each other."

Eric stared into her eyes, looking for anything, but she had closed off her emotions to him. "Really? Marisol said something similar to me too."

"Alexx mentioned something to me also." She as making him nervous, and it shouldn't have pleased her so much.

"Are they right?" Eric asked cautiously. He wasn't sure what Calleigh felt or what she was going to say to the idea.

"Depends." She replied.

"On What?" Was she purposely torturing him or was this just a side benefit?

"Whether or not I have the same effect on you as you do on me." Calleigh may have looked composed, but secretly she was scared Eric wouldn't want her. Even if everyone said that he did.

Eric grinned. "Well that depends." He said mimicking her words.

Calleigh laughed. "On what?" she asked mimicking his right back.

"What effect I have on you." He answered.

She grinned, he was utterly adorable. Why had it taken them so long to get here? "You put butterflies in my stomach, make me laugh, send shivers down my spine, and make me happy." Once she finished it occurred to Calleigh maybe she shouldn't have told him exactly what he did to her.

It thrilled Eric however. "I guess we're meant for each other." Eric moved forward and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him. "You do the same thing to me."

A little tingle was spreading all over her body just being this close to Eric. A flutter spread to her heart at his next sentence though.

"I guess that's good news for me then." She said.

"For us." Eric corrected.

Us. Calleigh loved the sound of that. She loved it even more when Eric pressed his lips to hers.

The kiss was sweet and delicate and made her body hum. When they broke apart Calleigh groaned in protest, and Eric answered with another kiss. This one slightly more passionate.

"You know for two intelligent people we are really stupid." He said, still a little unsteady from kissing her.

"Why?" she asked, her brain foggy with desire.

"It took us four years to see what was right in front of us."

**The End**

**A/N: **_Please review!!!_


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